Retention of liquids in cisterns and the like



Feb. 13, 1934. N. A. MoRRo Er AL RETENTIQN 0F LIQUIDS IN CISTERNS AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 10, 1931.

Patented Feb. 13, 1934 PATENT OFFICE RETENTION OF LIQUIDS IN CISTERNS AND THE LIKE

Norman Andrew Morro, Remuera, Auckland, and Colin Stuart Scott, Herne Bay, Auckland, New

Zealand Application December 10, 1931, Serial No. 580,210, and in New Zealand April 21, 1931 2 Claims.

This invention relates to the control of liquids in so far as the retention thereof in cisterns, tanks and other reservoirs, is concerned, and is directed to the retention of liquids in cisterns and like coni tainers wherein the liquid outlet is located below the liquid level normally attained in the container.

At the present time, the passage of liquid from the class of container above referred to, is con- 3 trolled by the use of valves, air locks and seals, all of which are more or less unsatisfactory, in that owing to wear and tear of parts of the mechanism employed, interference caused by solidV matter contained in the liquids and varying levels of the latter in the containers, the devices fail to function as intended, resulting in loss of liquid and necessitating frequent inspection and adjustment of parts.

The present invention'has for its object the provision of improvements, the use of which will overcome the disadvantages and defects of known methods and means of retaining liquids in containers, by eliminating said methods and means and substituting therefor a method and means which will ensure the proper retention of the liquid as long as desired.

The invention consists in the utilization in conjunction with a liquid container having an outlet below the liquid level normally attained in said container, of a series of heads of liquid located between the container and the outlet and which in the aggregate equal the head of liquid in the container at any one time.

This method involves the use of portion of the liquid for the purpose of retaining the remainder thereof in the container, or in other words, portion of the liquid is utilized to balance the other portion, and when the means for enabling the 'balance to be obtained are removed, the water in the container discharges from the latter by gravity through the outlet before referred to.

Means for enabling the series of heads to be obtained comprise a passage containing upward and downward sections which can be readily formed and destroyed at will, by the employment of a member containing concentric annuli closed at the top and open at the bottom and the walls between which can be inserted in open topped concentric annuli closed at the bottom and surrounding the outlet.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, it will be more particularly described as applied to a ushing cistern for the purpose of retaining water therein between flushes, a1-

though the invention is not necessarily restricted thereto,

Fig. 1 being a cross sectional view of the ilushing cistern,

Fig. 2 a part sectional elevation taken length- Ways through the latter,

Fig. 3 a cross sectional view of the means employed for enabling the balance of liquid to be obtained, and

Fig. 4 a sectional plan view on the line Z-Z, Fig. 3.

In carrying out the invention, the outlet 1 of the cistern 2 has provided therearound concentric annuli 3, the latter being closed at the bottom and open at the top, where they are level with the top of said outlet 1.

These annuli 3 are formed preferably in a separate fitting 4 secured around the outlet tting, but they may be provided in the bottom or other part of the cistern 2 as long as they do not extend above the outlet 1 and are kept below the lowest liquid level likely to be attained inthe cistern.

The fitting or part 4 of the cistern containing the annuli 3 has co-acting therewith a similar tting 5 which is however reversed so that it contains concentric annuli 6 closed at the top and open at the bottom, said tting 5 being mounted centrally on a rod 7 operable vertically in a fixed guide or guides 8 located centrally in the fitting containing the outlet 1, so that the circular walls of the annuli 6 with the exception of the outermost wall, when the fitting 5 is at the limit of its downward movement, are disposed midway between the walls ofthe annuli 3, the walls and the tops and bottoms of the groups Vof annuli being soarranged that at no time do they contact with each other at any point.

The interior of the cistern 2 is at all times open to the outlet 1, as with the fitting 5 lowered into and over the tting or part 4 as' described and illustrated, there is provided between the cistern interior and said outlet 1, an unbroken passage consisting of upward and downward vertically disposed parallel sections between the annuli walls, said sections being joined together alternately at the top and the bottom of the intermeshing ttings, to obtain continuity from the cistern interior to the outlet 1.

When the means described are not being used to retain liquid in the cistern 2, the fitting 5 is raised above and clear of the fitting or part 4, as indicated dotted in Figs. 1 and 2 to leave free or uninterrupted communication between the cistern interior and the outlet 1.

Various means can be utilized for raising and lowering the fitting 5 as required, one convenient arrangement being illustrated, and comprising a link 9 connecting the rod 7 with a crank arm 10 on a cross shaft 11 provided with an operating handlev 12 located externally of the cistern, a separate shaft 13 having one end entered loosely in the shaft 11, and the other end supported by a bearing 14 at the opposite side of the cistern to the bearing 15 which supports the hollow shaft 11.

The shaft 13 is provided with a crank 16, and carries a projection 17 adapted to be engaged by a projection 18 on the crank arm 10v to move the crank 16 to the position shown dotted in Fig. 2, during the latter portion of the movement of the arm 10, as it is thrown over the upper centre of the shaft 11 to the position indicated dotted in Fig. 2, by operating the handle 12, and in which position the fitting 5 is raised and held above and clear of the fitting. or part: 4.

To cause the fitting 5 to descend, the crank. 16 isi placed in the line of descent of the float arm 19 of the ball cock used for supplying. water tothe cistern, so thatr as said arm 19 descends with the falling water level it. engages the crankv 165 and causes the arm4 10 to be returned over the shaftl 111,. following which the various parts return to their former position.

With the fitting 5 meshed with the fitting or part 4 as shown, water rising in the cistern 2, as the latter fills from the ball cock or other source,v rises equally in the outermost upward section of the passage provided between the cistern interior and the outlet 1, until it overows into the adjacent or outermost' downward section of said passage, sealing the junction of the latter with the next upward section of said passage, the process continuing or being repeated in each succeeding upward and downward section as the water level rises in the cistern, until there*l is provided in the passage between the cistern interior and the outlet 1, a series of airconnected heads of water, the aggregate of. which equals the head. obtained in the cistern, said passage being of such capacity as to allow of there being obtained therein, an aggregate or total head of water capable of equalling the head of water obtained in the cistern when filled to the overflow 20, or any lower' level.

Following the raising of the fitting 5 above` and clear of the tting or part 4 to obtain a flush or discharge of water from the cistern by gravity via the outlet l, the level of the water remaining in the cistern will not be below the upper edge of the fitting or part 4, while the annuli 3 will be filled with water, so that when the tting 5 again descends over and re-meshes with the fitting or part 4, as before described, air contained in said fitting 5 is imprisoned therein and acting or cushioning on the water held in the annuli 3, displaces a. proportion thereof through the outlet 1, at the same time displacing or acting upon the water remaining in the annuli 3, so that with the dir viding. of the latter into upward and downward sections, by the insertion of the walls of the annuli 6, there will be provided in the passage between the cistern interior and the outlet 1, a series of heads 21 of water, separated from each other by imprisoned air or fluid which serves as a transmitting medium between said heads, whereof the effect of the aggregate thereof is enabled to be utilized to balance or equal the head of water in the cistern at the moment, and so obtain a state of equilibrium or balance between the water in the passage to the outlet 1 and the Water held in the cistern.

Upon reference to Fig. 3 of the drawing, it will be noted that the heads 21 forming the series thereof, are each formed in a downward section of the passage between the cistern interior and the outlet 1, or in sections open to other sections, at the bottoms, while the sections open to the downward sections at the tops of the latter contain air, and the latter being incapable of neutralizing the downward pressure of the water in said downward sections, merely serves as a transmitting medium between the heads, without opposing the latter in any way, thereby enabling the aggregate of said heads to be used in opposition to the head of water in the cistern.

What we do claim and desire to obtain by Letters Patent of the United States of America 1. Apparatus for sealing liquid in containers, comprising an: outlet for said container, a fitting disposed about said outlet and xedthereto, and' comprising a plurality of substantially concentric upstanding annular members, a second tting movable with respect to said first fitting, and comprising a plurality of downwardly extending, substantially concentric annular members cooperating with said rst mentioned annular membersv to form a tortuous path, an arm extending upwardly from said second fitting, a manually rotatable hollow shaft extending transversely oi' the container, a crank extending from said hollow shaft and connecting with said arm, for lifting said fitting, a second crank, having one bearing arm fitting loosely in said hollow shaft, the said first mentioned crank, during movement thereof, causing rotation of said second crank, a float arm cooperating with said second mentioned crank for actuating the first mentioned crank to restore the movable fitting to its sealing posi-tion upon fall of the liquid level to a selected point.

2'. Apparatus for sealing liquid in containers, comprising an outlet for said container, a tting disposed about said outlet and xed thereto, and comprising a plurality of substantially Concentric upstanding annular members, a second fitting movable with respect to said rst fitting, and comprising a plurality of downwardly extending, sub-stantially concentric annular members cooperating with said first mentioned annular members to form a tortuous path, an arm extending upwardly from said second fitting, a manually rotatable hollow shaft extending transversely of the container, a crank extending from said hollow shaft and connecting with said arm, for lifting said tting, a second crank, having one bearing arm fitting loosely in said hollow shaft, the said rst mentioned crank, during movement thereof, causing rotation of said second crank, projections on said first mentioned crank and said arm of the second crank whereby the two cranks cooperate with each other when the said hollow shaft reaches a predetermined 'L point in its rotation, and whereby the second crank is thus rotated through a predetermined distance, a fioat arm cooperation with said second crank after the latter has been moved by the first crank, for initiating the return rotation of the first crank, to restore the movable fitting to its sealing position.

NORMAN ANDREW MORRO. COLIN STUART SCOTT. 

